The cheapest cost for such care for a woman age 57 is about $540 per month. What the writer failed to mention is a $4,000 subsidy from me and other taxpayers.

Others may not wish to pay for her health care and pay more for their own insurance than was the case before Obamacare.

Vince Cavallo, Amelia Island

CHARTER SCHOOL

Making a difference

Thank you to the Duval County School Board for approving the opening of another Renaissance charter school for the upcoming school year.

Within our county, a large number of middle and high school students fall into the academic cracks left by popular magnet schools and unimpressive neighborhood schools.

Should lotteries, feeder schools, military service, sibling preference and your neighborhood fail to put your student’s name on the enrollment roster of a highly graded public school, your child is excluded from the quality learning experience the district has to offer.

Duval Charter Middle & High School at Baymeadows raised up my conscientious student from a solitary three-year virtual learning experience to being a student at a school again.

He passed all state-required FCAT and EOC exams and is looking forward to a traditional graduation.

The negative comments of Becki Couch, the chairwoman of the Duval School Board, regarding Renaissance charter schools in Duval County could just as well be applied to the schools under her care.

And for the reporter’s slant that charter schools are run by a “big” management company based in another city, well, think Starbucks, and get cozy with that cup of coffee because these schools are beautifully educating the students the county leaves behind.

Paula Nietling, Jacksonville

REQUEST FOR LIBERALS

Support FairTax

As a constitutional conservative, I have an honest question for those on the left.

Since Barack Obama was elected president, we have seen massive legislation including the stimulus package, bailouts, Dodd-Frank and the Affordable Care Act.

These laws have had a dramatic, negative impact on the economy.

The only way these programs can work is if we have a growing, dynamic economy. We can’t tax our way out of this mess.

Here is one change that could have a profound impact on economic growth: Eliminate the tax code and the IRS. Endorse the FairTax.

Let’s make America the best place for business in the world. Then we can talk about how we spend the incredible amount of money we could generate.

Can we agree on one concession?

John Serb, St. Johns

CATHOLIC CHURCH

End the coverups

For years the Catholic Church has been aware that some priests were molesting children. So to protect the image of the church, secrecy became paramount.

Volumes of documented cases were ignored. The hierarchy refused to accept the vastness of the problem.

Only after a 20-year-old victim said enough is enough and filed a lawsuit did it become known. Since then the church has paid millions to victims and their families.

They have admitted some priests were sent to counseling and returned to unsuspecting parishes.

Someone may ask how could continue to happen. The answer is simple.

Not a single priest participating in these horrific acts has ever spent a night in jail.

To call the police would have the effect of exposing these actions. But the secrecy of the church overcame the lack of positive actions.

Yes, a few hundred priests were defrocked (lost their job and removed from the priesthood). Now they are out on the streets, unknown and unwatched.

If you and I did the same thing we would be behind bars. A Roman collar appears to be a free ‘Get out of jail’ card.

And before people send a ton of “the writer hates Catholics” mail, I am a Catholic.

I am just trying to get them to move into the 21st Century.

Admit there is a problem, stand tall and fix it for the safety of today’s school children.

Albert Rabassa, Jacksonville

NEW TRASH CANS

Who is responsible?

A few people have complained about the size and inability to store the new trash and recycle receptacles the city has forced upon us.

Who is responsible for maintaining the condition of these receptacles? I am fortunate and able to store these items in the garage.

Over the past couple of weeks I have noticed that the trash collectors do not share in my responsibility to extend the life of them. They hook the receptacles to the hook on the truck and slam them two, three and sometimes four times real hard into the back of the truck.

It won’t be too much longer before the receptacles will need replacing. I will balk when it comes to sharing the cost of replacing them from the mistreatment they are receiving.

Contrary to your slavering comments regarding the Fair Tax Rich Klinzman, it would be far more likely for the rich to actually pay their fair share should it be enacted. Today they have so many credits, deductions and shelters that they have a much lower rate than those making less than them.

Leading up to 12/5/1933, people were "flouting" the law by drinking - then it was legalized. The same is going on with pot today. Our nation realized the evils wrought by the prohibition of alcohol and many are finding the same for pot today.

This mislabeled scam calling itself a "Fair" Tax is criminal in nature. It seeks to allow business to flout the law more openly not unlike the recent legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado. There are far too many business leaders not paying a :fair" share to the government by keeping it in off shore accounts like the Cayman Islands or Switzerland. What these criminals (and the are criminals) want the government to do is simply throw up there hands and surrender to lawbreakers and tell them that what they are now doing as a criminal enterprise is now legal, like doing drugs in Denver.
Don't be fooled. This is what is behind the scam known as the Fair Tax which would be better known as The Al Capone Bill. Fortunately after two decades, this idiocy is still rejected by honest people.

Support the FairTax H.R.25 see www.fairtaxnation.com and www.fairtax.org for more info and sign up for email updates See www.popvox.com to make comments about legislation which is sent directly to your Congressman

4425 points

Ron_Jax80

Saturday, January 25, 2014 @ 3:20 pm

Ref John Serb and his letter supporting the FairTax.

I like the letter and I like the idea, if the FairTax replaced the current income tax system, every man, woman and child would be US Tax payers, whenever they purchase new retail products and services.

If you are interested, you might want to read about all the benefits of having the FairTax. The FairTax would stimulate the economy and job growth.

Take the time to read how it works, about the prebate, about how it is paid by individuals and not from businesses, and much more. It will also eliminate 173,000 pages of tax code.